I remember as a kid shouting, “Santa is coming!” and the excitement as we waited for Santa’s arrival as we drove home from grandma’s house. Now as a grandparent, I find that same excitement as we anticipate the birth of our Savior and in sharing that story with my granddaughter. “Christ is coming!”

Friends, Christ is coming to remind us that there is hope in the darkness, peace in our hearts, knowing that we are safe in His arms, and we are filled with a love that only He can give. This Christmas, may you shout it with excitement, “Christ is coming!”

Reverend Karen Brantley

To the voices crying in the wilderness, the lonesome souls during this wintry time, to the blue Christmas hearts marked by loss, grief, and sorrow — you are not alone; we are not alone. God’s goodness surrounds us in the gift of The Holy Spirit, in the warmth of our neighborly love, within community care, and genuine acts of togetherness — grief can feel overwhelming and even unbearable, but sometimes even the simplest actions and words, born out of love, are the guiding lights back toward Christ Jesus, toward the baby once placed in a manger: Crucified, Resurrected, —Prince of Peace—

Reverend Sherri Hill